Author's Notes I: Sorry for the late update, I've been going through some shit. I'd like to address some issues first. Some people have been giving me flak that Naruto is too cheerful. To them I say this, he is not cheerful. He's hurt, confused, lost, angry, sad and anything but a person who keeps thinking about slashing his wrists. Angst doesn't equal "Oh pain! The pain in my heart!" On top of that, this isn't really angst. Writing genuine angst is hard, that's why I removed the tag from this story –even Helel knew that. That brings me to my second point, people giving me flak and saying Helel wrote it better. Guys, I don't feel like saying it over and over again, but a large portion of the writing in Helel's fic came from yours truly. You do realize he didn't even have a chapter 5 planned? Finally, the last scene of this fic is…uh…something. So, reader discretion is advised.

I don't own Naruto or High School DxD. But if your name happens to be Masashi Kishimoto, I'll gladly take those rights if you don't want them.

xXxXx-ADM-xXxXx

It was useless.

He'd been shifting for the last four hours in bed. All his attempts to fall into that momentary bliss, to roam the endless realms of sleep, resulted in failure. Despite his best efforts, all Naruto did was reminisce. Remembering a past he tried to forget. Images flashed in his mind, most of them included himself laughing like an idiot. A village hidden by forests, a mountain with carved faces, and the people he knew.

A distant memory.

He tried to emulate those feelings before, much to his own surprise. Perhaps it was his old selfish desire for comfort that drove him to do such a thing.

In the end, it backfired on him and Naruto realized how he shamed them all — his loved ones.

Memories were vile. Repulsive little brutes, like nagging children at a fair bothering their elders with shattering screams. How he wished he could forget them. To lock them up in a house, forget where the key was, and move on.

They reminded him of the things he'd done, the life he'd had, the blood on his hands.

Reluctantly, he groaned and sat up. With the graceful movement of a sloth, Naruto sat by the bedside. His hand reached for the nightstand and pulled the top drawer.

Grabbing a pack of smokes and a lighter, he read the health disclaimer –warning him of the consequences. Ignoring it, he took a cigarette and lit the end. As the tobacco burned, the taste engulfed him. He let it taint his lungs; warnings be damned. It was satisfying. A healthy distraction considering his unhealthy state of mind. He walked across the wooden floors of his apartment, and went to the living room. Sitting down by the table, he thought about the barren state of his apartment.

'I guess I could redecorate a bit.' He tapped the cigarette over the ashtray and rubbed a sore spot on his neck. 'Need to change the pillows too,' mentally adding it to his list of to-do's. But he knew it wasn't the hardened pillow that stole his sleep.

Why did he bother to call Akeno that way? Or ask her to make lunch for him in such a…pathetic manner?

Shaking his head, Naruto focused on finishing his cigarette. It ended quicker than he hoped. Getting up again, he walked near the wall, flipping the switch to illuminate the room.

"Stupid," he said to himself. "There was no need for you to ask her that, especially after the way you treated her." Naruto finished berating himself with a weary smile.

His grief was his own to bear; Akeno was getting too close to him for comfort. In all honesty, a part of Naruto appreciated what she did for him. Talking to him, asking how he was doing; he was elated hiding it. Her small actions gave Naruto hope that things would get better. That he would move on. He couldn't. He was pathetic that way. A hypocrite. Desiring one thing while doing another to contradict himself. Unpredictable as ever.

Normally, he wouldn't be so down. Granted he wasn't social, but he had a life —not exactly a grand one. Writing smut, running his store, watching movies, helping the poor when he got a chance. Naruto had planned for it to go that way, until the park incident. The latter events didn't affect him either.

Akeno was too nice for her own good. Then came her friends. While Naruto wasn't on the friendliest of terms with Gremory, he didn't hate her. He didn't hate anyone…save one person. Rias was just another person, another girl who attended the same school as him and was a Devil —even that didn't matter much to him. The same went for her Peerage. They were people, who just happened to be Devils.

However, they made him remember something he chose to ignore.

Bonds.

In the end, it always came down to that. A part of him craved for it, even after everything.

Sighing, Naruto walked near his bed and reached underneath it. He found the object, a simple scroll. Nothing fancy or endearing, it was as barren as the average sealing scroll. Unrolling it, his eyes traced the letters forming the matrix. It was perfect.

Creating chakra induced ink was not easy, but the perks outweighed the costs. Pervy Sage was right about fūinjutsu being useful in the most unusual times.

Biting his thumb, Naruto drew out blood and traced it across the letters. A puff of smoke emerged, and in the center laid an item: a simple blue album book. Sitting down on the floor, Naruto opened it. Despite knowing how wrong and disrespectful it was, Naruto needed some comfort right now.

Even if it was for a few fleeting moments.

xXxXx-ADM-xXxXx

Rias Gremory glared at the letter.

She finished reading it thrice. Each time she held herself back from shredding it. The scarlet sigil of Gremory was on the top, her parents' signatures at the bottom. The rich ink mocked her. Their consent made it worse. It was betrayal in her eyes.

Why couldn't she be at peace? Why was her freedom at stake? Didn't she get to choose?

Fate grew tired of her rant as Rias heard someone knock.

Closing the letter, she opened her top drawer and placed it inside. Fixing her disheveled hair which she had clawed at, from frustration and anger, Rias got up. She hoped it was Akeno who knocked, some good advice would be appreciated. Her Queen had gone to Sona regarding the Stray reports.

Opening the door, she found none other than Naruto Uzumaki standing there. Uncaring as ever. He looked at her with indifference and boredom.

"Gremory," he greeted, she furrowed her eyebrows.

"Uzumaki-san," Rias welcomed him inside. His mere presence was simply unwelcome at the moment.

She didn't hate him, she didn't think she did. Rias was at odds with the anomaly. He was strong and talented at manipulation from what she guessed. The heiress figured he must've had a Sacred Gear that, somehow, hid his presence and the aura of his magic. It could explain why-

"You're staring at me," Naruto said and Rias blinked.

Slowly, she realized she had been staring at him during her analysis, her face turned a bit red. Recovering she replied, "Sorry about that, I was thinking about something else."

"You're not planning to have me killed, are you?"

Rias took it all back. She knew exactly how she felt about Naruto Uzumaki! He was a jerk. An asshole who kept bringing up that one terrible thing she did in her life. Rias was human too, well, a Devil but a civil one. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and anybody else in her place would've done the same.

"Uzumaki-san," Rias began, frowning. "I would appreciate it if you were a bit less antagonizing towards me."

"You would, wouldn't you?"

Rias bit back the desire to destroy him. But she couldn't. Akeno liked him and she wasn't sure if she could. Rias had enough experience and certified knowledge to know what love was. "If you're here for just that, then you can leave," Rias said, her usual tone replaced with a cold one. Instead of expecting him to walk away, Naruto sighed.

"Fine, I'm sorry."

"Excuse me?" she muttered, not believing what she heard.

"What?"

"Did you just apologize to me?"

"Yes."

"Are . . . you feeling okay, Uzumaki-san?"

Rias' eyes widened when she saw his lips twitch upwards for a moment.

"I'm fine."

"I see." Rias wasn't sure what else she could say. But she had to start with something. "So, why exactly are you here, Uzumaki-san?"

"I came to meet Akeno," Rias heard him refer to her Queen by her first name. It seemed Akeno made some progress.

"What for?" she asked.

Rias was overprotective at times. She would, gladly, give up her life if it meant the safety of her Peerage and family members. Granted Issei's case was questionable, but had she seen he was dying for no reason - in her territory no less - she would've resurrected him. Sacred Gear user or not.

"Well," his voice broke Rias out of her thoughts. "Akeno said she'd make lunch and she's a good cook."

That was unarguably true. But them having lunch again was a surprise.

"Well," Rias fumbled in her mind on what she should do. Staving off her fear and thinking with a calm mind she began, "I suppose you can wait inside. Though it may take a while."

"How long is 'a while'?" Naruto asked her, his tone a bit somber.

"Fifteen minutes, give or take," Rias opened the door, motioning for the blond to enter. "You can wait here."

The crimson haired girl nearly frowned when he didn't mutter a cordial 'Thank you' to her, and stepped into her base of operations. It may have sounded weird, but she did call the ORC Room that. Blame the Universal Century Timeline for making her bring up this name. The blond walked, and, again, she noticed how he made no noise. It was so cool in her mind, yet it made her feel fearful at the same time. The blond was aloof, but not careless. He didn't put up a guard, yet wasn't unprepared. Naruto probably had a kunai on him. Maybe Rias could find out where he obtained such an item. It wasn't like Naruto was a ninja or something.

Rias sat down and poured herself a cup of tea. The aroma was excellent. Before she took a sip, a thought crossed her mind. She couldn't forget common courtesy.

"Would you like some tea, Uzumaki-san?" Rias asked as she sat on the single couch. The blond looked at her and shook his head.

"No." That was expected. "Thank you." This wasn't.

"Are you sure you're okay, Uzumaki-san?" she asked, genuinely worried if the misanthropist was under a spell or a curse. Naruto sighing and rubbing his temples didn't seem like a good sign.

"Yes," Naruto looked at her, his eyes boring into her own cyan orbs. "I'm completely fine."

Taking his words as a sign he didn't want to talk, Rias took to finishing her tea and focused on passing the fifteen minutes without trying to lose it.

.

Rias groaned as she placed the teacup on the table and looked at her guest with a scrutinizing look. He didn't say a word and ignored her like she wanted, yet it got to her. The silence was unbearable to her at least. Damned letter got to her. And now, another source of something annoying sat in front of her.

"How can you just stay quiet like that?" she asked, frustrated at how he was ignoring her. While Rias didn't plan to talk to him, his motionless posture freaked her out. Like he was waiting to assassinate her or something.

Why couldn't he be normal?

"By not talking," Naruto replied, he wasn't even looking at her. "Besides, I was under the impression you could barely stand the sight of me."

"That's not true," Rias defended herself. "I just think you're a weird emo with lots of issues."

This time he did look at her as he blinked. Innocently, might she add. Naruto looked at her. Letting out a 'Huh', he scratched his chin.

"Well, at least you didn't lie," he muttered, typing something into his cellphone.

"So," Rias began trying to break some ice. Since they weren't enemies, they might as well fraternize a bit as Naruto would be having lunch with her Queen. She needed to make sure this guy didn't plan anything dirty. "You're the author of Icha-Icha."

Immediately, she noticed how he stopped typing and sighed. Pocketing the phone, Naruto looked at her, seriously, as he spoke. "I do it for the money."

"I never really saw it coming to be honest," Rias added. Noticing his deadpan stare she explained further, "I mean you're the Naruto Uzumaki after all. Misanthropist and all that."

"Is that what they call me now?" he asked. The Gremory heiress noted how he seemed a bit interested.

"Among other things," Rias said. "Though accomplished smut writer was something I didn't think you'd be."

"You read it, didn't you?"

"…Once." He stared at her. "Okay, a few times." Naruto wasn't looking away. "Akeno made me do it."

"I see. And I didn't peg you, Akeno and your group for Devils." He quipped back and looked at her with utter boredom. "It does make a little sense now."

"What makes sense?" Rias asked, her curiosity rendered insatiable at his words. She and all the Devils did do their best to hide their presence as much as they could.

"Well," Naruto paused, making the crimson haired girl sit on the edge. "I suppose some of you did come off as…too perfect."

"Huh?" the confusion in the Devil increased. "Perfect? How?"

"Nothing but good stuff about you all, always being the measuring stick, too flawless to be human." The blond was focused on his phone, again.

"So you suspected us from then? Especially after Akeno started hanging out with you?"

"I didn't bother to," he clarified. "I saw a few Fallen before, and I did my best to avoid them. It wasn't my concern. That said, I never pegged non-humans going to school."

Rias nodded. Naruto wasn't lying from what she could tell, granted she wasn't some war veteran practiced in the art of interrogation, but the Gremory liked to think she was smart enough. She was the current Lucifer's sister after all.

"Now that you know, what do you think of us? Other than you looking at me like an elaborate schemer." Rias saw him sigh again. 'Must be his thing.' The girl wanted to know his opinion. Rarely did the Uzumaki talk, from what she learned.

"To be honest," Naruto paused, leaning back into the couch. "You, Akeno and the others being Devils or humans doesn't change anything…well not much anyway."

Since discovering the room where Sirzechs kept her pictures from her birth to the present day, Rias became speechless. It didn't make any sense. She was a Devil, a High Class Devil and heiress to the Gremory house —unless her adorkably cute nephew Millicas became heir. And this knowledge of her being a supernatural being didn't faze him at all?

"Excuse me?" Rias gawked. "What do you mean it doesn't change anything?"

"It means I don't care," he replied. "Akeno is still the girl who annoys me…with stalking on the side. Your Devil friends are students of this place. And you're Rias Gremory, the redhead." Naruto finished and closed his eyes, yawning.

Rias stared at him and took note of his blunt words. He viewed her as Rias…the redhead? Was her hair a beacon? It was in the Underworld. The Devil pouted, knowing he wasn't looking at her. She owned half this town, damn it! Naruto Uzumaki was a thorn as ever, and didn't look at her in a special way like everyone else. To him she was just another teenager and…

'Wait,' she thought and shook her head. She coughed into her hand, and when he didn't look Rias repeated her action. Still no response.

"Uzumaki-san," the Devil spoke and Naruto opened his eyes, "what do you mean by redhead?"

"Stop trying to delve into things," he replied. "You're a redhead and that's it. Your hair was the reason I even remembered your name."

"Is it too flashy and rough to look at?"

"No, it's too beautiful," Naruto said and immediately groaned. "Forget that last part."

But she couldn't. Rias wasn't innocent. She had tasteful content that proved otherwise. The first thing guys noticed about her would be her chest. Then her face, her ass, her hips, and so on. Her hair was the last thing she expected someone, a guy like Naruto of all people, to find…beautiful.

On top of that, he was treating her like a normal person.

'Get a hold of yourself, Rias!' she internally screamed, slapping both her cheeks. They were warm and Rias knew her face was garnering the same shade as her hair. 'He just complimented your hair. Lots of guys have done it before. Except they didn't.' Shaking her head, she twirled a strand of her hair. Naruto had closed his eyes and was listening to music with his headphones.

'When did he do that? Also, how dare he ignore me after shamelessly flirting like that?!' Getting her mind out of the gutter, Rias tried to stop thinking about it as she stared into the ground hard.

"You seem frustrated," he stated, and, by magic, his earphones disappeared. He stared at her with those deep blue eyes of his and…

'Lucifer damn it!' Rias thought, cheeks still red. She noted how he would look better if he wasn't so gloomy. His hair was wild and he seemed athletic. "I had some problems with paperwork."

She saw how his eyes looked at the clock. She began, albeit hesitantly, "Uzumaki-san, if you don't mind me asking. What were you doing in the park that night?"

"How is that relevant to anything? I wasn't following you or something."

"No! That's not what I meant!" Rias said, loudly. Embarrassed, she laughed trying to derail her former action. "I mean were you there by random coincidence or…"

"I was taking a walk."

"Um, at night?"

"I like to take walks, and it's nice at night. People aren't around, so you get to see a rare view," he said and Rias looked dumbfounded.

"I never thought you'd be that sort of a person," Rias said as the blond looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I mean I've heard your rep."

"I've heard many things about Devils, none of them included anything about teenage girls having fascination for mecha."

"How do you know that?" she asked. Did he stalk her? Instead, Naruto raised his hand and pointed at the small Eva unit model sitting on her desk. "Sorry about that."

The door to the room opened and Akeno walked in. Her Queen seemed a bit dull, and Rias assumed more Strays appeared. However, a smile formed on Akeno's face when her Queen noticed Naruto. Genuine happiness. It was so real, Rias wondered if Akeno ever looked at her like that. Gracefully, the sadist moved towards the couch and looked at the blond. "Naruto-kun, I looked for you at the roof and our classroom. You weren't there."

'Oh,' Rias thought. It seemed that Akeno was searching for him. 'That explains the down look.'

"I thought you'd be here," Naruto said.

"Aw~" her Queen's seductive voice reached her ears. "You came all the way here, just for me?" Rias had to stifle a giggle as she watched Naruto's eyebrow twitch in annoyance.

The blond rose and headed towards the door, "I hope the lunch is worth it."

"Right, Buchou," Akeno said, almost trembling with excitement as she handed her King a dossier. "This is what Kaichou compiled for you."

"So all the reports are in it?"

"Yup," Akeno chirped and Rias understanding her friend's excitement, nodded. "Well I'll see you after classes end, Buchou."

"Sure, Akeno," Rias replied and saw Naruto outside the threshold, idly walking away. Impulsively, Rias stood up and spoke loudly enough, "Goodbye, Uzumaki-san."

He didn't reply or turn back, but waved his hand. Akeno's giggle took Rias' attention.

"Oh my," her Queen muttered as she picked up the two boxes on the cupboard. "You and Naruto-kun must've bonded quite a lot."

"I wouldn't say bonding, but we did talk."

"And?"

"He wasn't being a jerk, and apologized for being one if that means something."

"Trust me, Buchou," Akeno said. "It definitely means something." With those words, her Queen left with a quick pace.

Rias closed the door. Happy for her Queen's attempts working, and felt glad that someone viewed her as a normal person. Even if it was a borderline delinquent. As she passed by the mirror, she looked at herself. Her hair was still everywhere despite the quick fix. She had a lot on her plate, and it was starting to seep into her personal life and her fun time.

'It will be okay soon,' Rias thought as she reached for the comb. Brushing down her long curtain of hair, she thought about what the Misanthropist said. 'Beautiful hair, huh?'

xXxXx-ADM-xXxXx

"How was it?"

Omurice was something she cooked many a times.

Akeno did it before, and could seamlessly pull it off any other day. She was a torturer well-versed in the art of sadism, but she was a better cook and a proud one. The black haired girl was nervous because Naruto asked her to make lunch. When he said those words last night, Akeno felt a burden being taken off her shoulders.

She could tell that Naruto was conflicted ever since he left the ORC room. His eyes darkened, they were in pain. Now, she was sure that Naruto had suffered from something in his life. In fact, Akeno feared that her closeness with him had weakened. Instead, something good came out of it.

His small act meant so much to her. He never, willingly, engaged into conversations and from what Rias said, he did talk —which was a lot if Naruto's less than acceptable social life was something to hold as an example. Taking that as incentive, Akeno poured all her effort into making omurice. The pan-fried rice was perfect along with the right amount of ketchup and chicken, which she placed into a thin omelette sheet. She added tomatoes as a complement. It should be perfect, and she waited for the critique.

Ever since he started eating, he hadn't said a word. He finished it rather quickly too, and Naruto used a handkerchief to wipe his mouth. Drinking some water from the bottle he carried, the blond let out a content sigh.

"It was good."

Akeno felt glad, but expected a bit more. All the adrenaline lost, Akeno's smile had all but vanished.

"Thank you."

Her eyes widened at the two words. Akeno faced the blond beside her, who…smiled? Was it a smile? She didn't know. The hybrid realized, this was the first time she saw him smile.

"It was, it was really good."

Akeno's heart fluttered. Then, the smile faded as the monotonous expression returned –with a boring vengeance. He looked up to the sky and the black haired girl unknowingly gulped a bit. She wasn't sure what to do.

Naruto Uzumaki thanked her. She was no fan girl, nor did she let out the feeling she was shy. The latter was Rias, but…Akeno didn't know what to think. This was the first time she was speechless, ever since discovering her mother's closet filled with endless BDSM gear.

But Akeno wouldn't mind seeing that smile again. Unknown to the sadist, her own face was adorning one and Naruto chose that exact moment to look at her.

"You're cheeks are red," he said and Akeno coughed a bit. She didn't know her face could turn that red.

"It's nothing, I think I have a fever," she said and Naruto hummed.

"You're not feeling too bad are you?" Holding back a small urge to shout in joy, she shook her head as he nodded.

"Are you worried about me?"

"I don't have to be. I guess you're pretty strong."

"That's true," Akeno said, glad the conversation sided to something else. Letting her usual habits take over, she continued, "And when my enemies cross my path, I like to crush them. Break them down. Hopelessly show them the abyss. Make them feel despair and-"

"You're a sadist, aren't you?"

Akeno stopped immediately and smiled. Naruto was looking at her with a deadpan stare. "Well-"

"At least you have some flaws."

"Oh my," Akeno said. "You might want to be careful Naruto-kun otherwise I may have to teach you some manners."

"I'm not letting you enter my house again," he said after taking a pause and nearly got up, before Akeno reached out and caught his wrist. She tugged on it, twice.

"I was just kidding."

"I want to believe you," he said. "But masochists and sadists are crazy by nature."

"Not true, however we are honest," Akeno quipped and smiled. "There's still some time left, Naruto-kun. Please sit down with me."

He didn't reply and stared at her for a while before shrugging. Sitting down beside her once more, Naruto rested his cheek against his palm.

"Can I ask you something, Naruto-kun?" Akeno looked at him as he sighed. This was an important question.

"You never hesitated before."

"What do you do when you're not at school?"

"I think you've stalked me enough to know exactly what I do."

Akeno laughed at that. It was true. She had seen him stroll down to the comic book store, giving out food to the homeless.

"I know, but hearing it from you makes it better."

"I honestly can't figure you out." Naruto yawned a bit. Akeno could tell he was sleepy, again. It wasn't a normal day at Kuoh if the blond didn't sleep in at least one of the classes. But it was only now she noticed how bloodshot his eyes were.

"Your eyes," she said, reaching forward, but his hand caught hers. Despite the callused palms, his hand was warm. The latter was something she didn't expect given his nature. But it wasn't unwelcome.

"I didn't get much sleep," he said and, slowly, let go of her hand. For a second, Akeno thought she saw a tattoo on his wrist, but chalked it up as imagination getting the better of her.

"You never really answered me." Akeno cupped both of her cheeks as she stared at him, her entire attention pinned on him.

"I do what everybody else does. Eat, sleep,-"

"That's not what I meant," Akeno cut him off. "I meant hobbies or something you do for fun."

"I feel like we're talking too much nowadays." Naruto looked away from her. "Maybe you should go back to ignoring me. My life was a bit better when you didn't annoy me."

Akeno clenched her fist as she remembered that time. While she had no obligation to meet him nor did he ask her to, it was a time she wasn't fond of. That was cheap on his part, just like that time when he called her nothing. Yet here she was, refusing to leave his side.

"Get used to it, Naruto-kun," she said haughtily. "One of these days you're going to apologize to me."

Deciding to be bolder, and mess with the blond, she leaned against him. The Queen rested her head against his shoulder. For a second Naruto almost froze, Akeno smiled at that. Looping her arm through his, she clung tightly. She could feel him trying to move.

"Don't," she said. "There's only a few minutes left. It wouldn't kill you."

For a moment he didn't say anything and chose to remain stiff, before finally she felt Naruto's posture slacken a bit. They stayed that way as Akeno let out a sigh of contentment.

"This feels nice, doesn't it?"

Akeno waited for a reply but she settled for the silence.

"Why are you doing this?" she heard him ask. His voice sounded lighter.

"Because," Akeno smiled as leaned, more, against him. "It's what I want."

"I don't think most friends do this," Naruto said, a bit of uneasiness in his voice.

"Most people don't call their friends 'nothing'," Akeno said the last word trying to imitate his voice.

"Touché."

"Don't worry, Naruto-kun," Akeno said, closing her eyes. "You're going to make up for all the times you were being a jerk. Otherwise, I may have to punish you."

"You're weird." The sadist giggled, enjoying the moment too much to register how the blond rolled his eyes.

xXxXx-ADM-xXxXx

Torture.

The word came to his mind. Akeno Himejima was torture incarnate. Naruto had done his best to avoid people. A part of the former Jinchūriki knew that no matter what happened, people never truly changed who they were. The core remained the same. With some effort it was possible -sometimes.

That said, he was still afraid. Fearful of bonds, the weight that came with them and the utter horror of losing them.

In a year and a half, Akeno had been chipping at his walls. The last four months were better since she ignored him for God knows what reason, but even he knew the truth. He was afraid of Akeno, or rather, it was her affection he feared.

When the 'Queen' of Rias Gremory had stopped talking to him, a part of him - as much as he tried to deny it - missed her. Naruto didn't think about her all the time, but sometimes he wished she would bother him. He wanted the woman to visit his ramen store, again, and talk to him while served the other ramen lovers. Then, Akeno introduced him to Rias and her Peerage, who were, colorful to say the least. He even blurted out that Rias had beautiful hair, which was true, but he had no intention of saying that out loud. Her crimson locks were something which caught his eye a few times and he blamed his father for making him inherit the same fetish.

It was with these thoughts Naruto kept walking and got closer to his home.

He bumped into someone and before Naruto knew it, the man muttered something about 'filth on his clothes'. The green haired, lanky man walked away and the blond had half a mind to stop him. Venting out anger helped, like cigarettes.

"Uzumaki-san!"

A cheerful, jovial voice reached Naruto's ears and the blond bit back a sigh. 'I've been doing that a lot recently'. Turning around, Naruto saw a fat man approaching him. The man wore a suit and was sweating bullets, his breathing erratic, and his black hair slicked back.

"Glutton," Naruto said calmly. "I see you haven't choked on your own breath yet."

"Funny as ever, Uzumaki-san." The man laughed and wiped the sweat off his brow. "I didn't think I'd be meeting you outside of Ichiraku's."

"Neither did I. Apparently, I'm unlucky," Naruto didn't even try to hide the amount of annoyance he felt right now.

"You are lucky, Uzumaki-san. People associated with me have the Devil's luck!" he shouted and Naruto shook his head.

The man Naruto became annoyed with was Yashiro Nanakase. His number one customer at Ichiraku's and was a freak of nature. Naruto couldn't believe how this man consumed more ramen than him. The noodle enthusiast in Naruto became disgusted at his gluttony and chose to call the man 'Glutton'; Nanakase didn't mind.

"Any particular reason you're bothering me in the middle of the day?" Naruto asked.

"Right," the portly man said. Bringing up both of his thumbs up, the man smiled, "I got a promotion."

"Congratulations," Naruto didn't even bother to look at him. "Now move."

"Uzumaki-san, I thought you'd be a bit happy," Yashiro spoke, dejectedly.

Naruto rolled his eyes as he tapped the man's shoulders. "Just keep my business running, and I'll be happy enough. Hell, I'll even throw in a few extra eggs every now and then." Naruto began to walk away as he heard the man shout something. The blond had larger food for thought and he was already near his home.

Footfalls resounded as he walked up the stairs and brought out a key from his pocket. Sliding it in, he unlocked the door and stepped in.

"I'm home," Naruto said as he closed the door and locked it. The blond began to take off his shoes, today's events still fresh on his mind and his two unusual meetings.

Then a voice reached his ears.

"Welcome home, Naruto."

xXxXx-ADM-xXxXx

"Raynare, I don't understand why we're just staying low!"

The Fallen Angel scowled at the tone. Dohnaseek always had been rowdy. His lust for battle matched only by his anger. Currently the fedora wearing Fallen was gritting his teeth.

"I told you before," Raynare said. "We don't attack Gremory or Sitri. Doing that will bring in too much heat."

"You were attacked, Raynare," Kalawarner, a blue haired Fallen spoke. "Granted we are on enemy territory, but you don't just expect us to let the guy who roughed you up to just let this go."

Formerly known as Yuma, she appreciated Kala's words. They were genuine and heartfelt, but the truth was Raynare didn't want anyone from her troupe meeting him. She still remembered his words, his promise. His oath of destruction should she cross him.

"I know," Raynare said. She looked at them, her amethyst eyes boring into them all. "But I need all of you to listen to me. You're no match for him, for the man who beat me. I've never even seen him around the Devils. On top of that he's strong. Too strong."

"Maybe he just caught you off guard, Ray-Ray," Mittelt reasoned. The short, sadistic blonde of Raynare's group said with a disturbing smile. "When I find him, I'll pay him back tenfold."

Raynare looked at the three. Dohnaseek, Kalawarner, Mittelt. Her friends. Her closest friends, and despite the rumors of Fallen Angels being bloodthirsty demons as they learned since they were young, Raynare couldn't help but adore most of her siblings. Even now, the female Fallen was sure that if Gabriel appeared she wouldn't be able to fight the Seraph. Not because of the difference in strength, but rather because Raynare truly loved Gabriel like a sister. The same went for Metatron and his habits.

Michael, Uriel and Raphael however, Raynare didn't know what to think about them, but each time they crossed her mind anger rose in her. Surely the Archangel could've been more lenient. Show mercy and take her back into the rankings of Heaven. Or Yahweh for that matter, despite never meeting her Father, she assumed He cared about her. Was her Father too busy to hear her pleads or did He despise her? She wandered for a long time, wondering if all His promises were empty lies.

Those thoughts made her join the Grigori. Azazel accepted them, preaching about peace but never doing anything to achieve it. Ultimately, he didn't give much of a damn and let them rain free, somewhere along the way Raynare became a cruel individual who enjoyed the misery of others —humans were, are and will always be beneath her no matter what. Then Lord Kokabiel arrived, the cadre class Fallen broke off from the Grigori and formed his own group, Legion. Kokabiel promised her power, victory, and…her dream.

Raynare, for all the things she'd done, wanted to go back home. She had learned her lessons, and was willing to do anything get back there. Sacrificing her comrades, however, was not something she would resort to.

"Look," Raynare began, still a bit injured from her fight. "I know all of you care about me, and you want to get back at the guy. Let me assure you, don't."

"But, Raynare-"

"Trust me," Raynare pleaded. "If you see a man with blue eyes, blond hair and strange markings on his cheeks, run. Don't think twice."

"Fine," Dohnaseek said with reluctance. "But only until the maiden arrives. After that, it's open season."

The man walked out with anger emphasized on each of his footfalls. "Please go and keep him under control."

"Fine, but you owe me," Kalawarner said looking at Raynare who groaned.

"Donny's pissed. Do you think he'll eat a whole store out today?" Mittelt said as she followed the blue haired female.

Alone, Raynare stood in the abandoned church. Unlike other houses of God, this wasn't even moved properly and resembled a poor man's home, one not worthy of a second glance. Old Bibles covered with cobwebs and dust, the glass paintings of the Son of God now rotten with dirt and negligence, holy water now stale and worthless. She looked up at the empty cross, glaring at it as she lied down on the altar.

God.

The Creator, the Lord in Heaven, her Father. To Raynare, God was the greatest coward in her eyes; He wasn't even there when she fell, instead hiding somewhere while her brother did the dirty deed. Meanwhile, He was busy showering humans with gifts, blessings and mercy. Raynare remembered praying after falling, begging for redemption, crying out apologies. Even after she joined the Grigori, a small part of her dared to hope that her prayers reached His ears.

They didn't. Instead, she saw how Sacred Gears manifested in humans by the will of God Himself; how they shamelessly used the Lord's creations for their own selfish desires as someone worthier than them went unnoticed. God blessed them while ignoring her.

'The Lord works in mysterious ways, my ass.'

Raynare thought, her mind lingering on a certain artifact. She would report back to Lord Kokabiel about it after she got her bit done. Raynare was cruel, but not without her sense of right and wrong. The Fallen had no intentions to remain in any more debt. Their unknown associate was sending backup too, some rogue exorcist. Lying on the altar, Raynare stared at the chapel's entrance. Slowly, a cruel thought formed in her mind.

'Are you watching, Father?' Raynare thought, a vicious smile on her face, born out of hate and frustration. She hugged herself tightly, making her body lusciously sprawl around. 'I hope you are.'

Vindictively, the Fallen's hand came up to rub one of her breasts as the heat inside her increased. It may not mean much, but if this pissed them off it was worth it. Not to mention, Raynare had to vent out her urges by herself; her fellow Fallen were afraid of her wrath and she would never…EVER let a human touch her that way. She slowly slid off her small article, rubbing her slit making it warmer. Raynare imagined what it was like to have her temptation grow beyond control, as some male being with a phallus ruined her on the altar, shaming everything that was pure about this sanctity.

Much to her own surprise, a man's image did conjure in her mind. Hair so bright and golden, it reminded her of the Angels in heaven. Cold blue eyes, too deep to belong to humans, they burned like ice. The chill in his voice, making her shiver and fear his power; it was something that attracted her since her fall. She moaned and panted as she pictured him, the dirty human bastard who threw her around reminded her of what true strength was. It was shameful, yet she kept on going. Pinching her nipple, the heat increased as the fingers slid in and out. Raynare would make him pay one day, make him apologize and-

"Oh~" Raynare moaned as she felt the heat increase, the inner walls tightening. Her cries of pleasure filled the cathedral, corrupting it with her cries of debauchery as she prayed that God was watching her do this.

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Author's Notes II: So this chapter was mostly about Rias and sort of building it about how she feels. No she's not in love, that will take some time. Akeno is bold as ever. Naruto is, again, not just an emo. Raynare's scene was re-edited, the tone came off wrong but the action is the same. Also, I felt like adding this (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ Right, take care until next time people. Bye!